The Facts You May Not Have About Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder that impacts millions of adults on a yearly basis. While there has been some recent research on sleep apnea and the effects on your body, here is some information you may not have been aware of. 

1.     24% of women and 52% of men have sleep apnea but go undiagnosed every year. Many individuals who struggle to sleep or wake up throughout the night attribute the cause to something other than sleep apnea, such as too much caffeine, dogs barking at night or a loved one snoring.

 2. Sleep apnea is sometimes diagnosed as something else. “While you may visit the doctor looking for a help, sleep apnea symptoms are broad. Sometimes it can be diagnosed, as depression, anxiety, fatigue or a number of other medical conditions depending upon your symptoms,” says Dr. Judy Strutz. 

3. Dentists specializing in sleep apnea can treat the problem utilizing a variety of dental remedies The cause of sleep apnea may be due to a small pallet or the position of the jaw when you are lying down. By diagnosing the problem and the cause, Dr. JudithStrutz is able to treat your sleep apnea many times by using a dental device instead of a large and noisy c-pap machine.  

3 Reasons Why Restoring Your Smile Shouldn’t Wait

Cosmetic dentistry may not seem important, but your smile can negatively impact your life beyond affecting your positive relationships with others and business opportunities. Dr. Judy Strutz, a prosthodontist practicing in San Bernardino, suggests, “Don’t wait to restore your smile until you have multiple problems that need to be fixed.” 

Your smile can be your greatest asset, but an unhealthy smile can decrease your energy level and overall health. Bacteria have been linked to negative health problems including heart disease, gum infection, bone loss and pain. The bad bacteria enter the blood stream through the gum tissue and have been recognized as having an impact on your other organs. 

 Time is precious. You don’t want to waste it not feeling at your best. Self-confidence can impact which jobs you apply for or the opportunities that come your way in business. You have less than seven seconds to make a great impression. If you cover your smile, or don’t smile, you may appear to potential employers as not having the winning attitude they want for their business. Happiness and confidence attract others with those same qualities. 

 The longer you wait the more money it may cost you. Once you lose one tooth it is common to lose several more within a few months. Dr. Strutz says, “Your jawbone is stimulated through chewing, if there are not teeth in a particular area, the jawbone may not have the same strength it had before.” Teeth may also shift into the location of the missing teeth. As this problem occurs, you may experience pain in the jaw that causes you problems when eating certain foods. 

Waiting can increase the pain, time and money you need to invest in order to restore your smile to the healthy, white one you once had.  

Perfection Is Not Beyond Your Reach

Your smile may be an eyesore to you when you look in the mirror. Or do you cover your smile in selfies or family photos? Fixing your teeth to enhance your smile is not outside your options. There are multiple procedures you can have completed in order to improve your overall smile.  While it may not happen in a day, by having a full restorative exam, you and Dr. Strutz can prioritize which procedures you need or may want.

Dr. Judy Strutz recommends to patients to have their smile evaluated by having an exam. This will allow you and Dr. Strutz to come up with a game plan to improve your smile.  Each procedure will be mapped out in order for you to know exactly what is going to happen during the procedure, before or after treatment and how many procedures will be necessary before your new smile is complete.   

Sometimes multiple treatments may be recommended before your smile is fully restored to its original luster and look. Procedures such as bone grafting, veneers, and implants can restore your smile.  While these are just a few of the possible options, contact Dr. Strutz today for more.

            Restoring your smile can increase your self-confidence and restore your desire to share your smile with the world.  

Day Time Sleepiness

Do you hit that afternoon time of sleepiness? Are you downing caffeine all day to attempt to stay awake? Sleep apnea can negatively impact your life in multiple ways. You may find yourself falling asleep at a stoplight, missing deadlines, or making simple mistakes. There is no need to suffer silently with this potentially deadly disorder. 

Dr. Judith Strutz can evaluate your sleep patterns based on examining your mouth. Recommend a home sleep study and can then fit you with a custom appliance if appropriate. The appliance works similar to a mouth guard. It will either push the tongue down or the jaw forward. Opening up the airway allows you to enjoy a restful night’s sleep. This procedure will take a few visits, as Dr. Strtuz needs to examine and fit your mouth for the correct appliance.

Fifty - seventy million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. This is not a disorder you can let slide, and it usually does not go away on its own. While this epidemic costs millions in car accidents and loss of work productivity it also is a disorder that has multiple options for you to live a better, healthier life.  

Reconstructive Dentistry & What You Need To Know

            Your mouth is a complicated system of muscles, joints, hard bone, tissue, nerves and blood. In order to maintain your healthy lifestyle all of these must work together in perfect harmony. If you are impacted by an accident, oral cancer or other life situations, there is help.

            Reconstructive dentistry, completed by Dr. Judith Strutz, can help restore your mouth to the beautiful white, healthy smile you once had. Reconstructive dentistry isn’t only about restoring your smile to dazzle others; it’s about restoring your mouth to its full function allowing all parts to work together again. This type of dentistry is designed to correct any of the problems you are experiencing with your teeth, jaw, gums, tongue or any of the other parts of your mouth.

            With reconstructive dentistry, each patient is truly unique, which means a unique treatment plan will be developed for you. Dr. Strutz  will begin her assessment with a full exam where she will determine which parts of your mouth are in need of repair. Then together you will design the treatment plan that helps restore your smile and fits your budget. If you are affected by pain in the mouth, a jaw popping when you open and close, cracked or broken teeth, or have had significant mouth trauma or cancer, reconstructive dentistry may just be the way to get you back to health.  

For more information on reconstructive dentistry, call Dr. Strutz today.

3 Reasons Why Cosmetic Dentistry May Be Your Best Bet

Changing the way your smile looks is not only about improving your smile; it’s about enhancing your health to allow you to live pain free. Cracked and broken teeth can impact you beyond a job interview. Here are four reasons why cosmetic dentistry may be the best option for you.

1.     Reduce the amount of pain you have. Cracked and broken teeth are susceptible to infection and decay. Food sticks to the broken part of the tooth, staying on the surface longer. This food debris, many times containing sugar, then increases the opportunity for bacteria to attack the enamel. This can cause you to experience an extreme amount of pain when eating and drinking certain foods.

2.     Dr. Judy Strutz states, "missing teeth can cause you to look older then you are." As your teeth shift into other spots to compensate for the missing teeth, it can cause your face to fall. This look gives you lines and wrinkles particularly around the mouth.

3.      Cosmetic surgery can restore your mouth to healthy functioning. With exposed roots, missing, or cracked teeth you may be able to only eat certain foods. Eating may become very painful causing you to lose out on healthy, nutritious foods.  Nuts, fruits, and vegetables are critical to sustaining a healthy life style.

Cosmetically enhancing your smile is not always about improving your look. "It is about creating a healthy smile that allows you to live the life you want," says Dr. Strutz.